This Okanagan Spider-Man is cheering people up at the malls, parks and grocery stores
He spins a web, any size and catches thieves just like flies. There’s a man who goes by Peter Parker in Vernon who’s boosting community spirits. Vernon resident Evan Weber has become a popular figure in the community for wandering around in a Spider-Man costume. He originally bought...
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He spins a web, any size and catches thieves just like flies. There’s a man who goes by Peter Parker in Vernon who’s boosting community spirits.
Vernon resident Evan Weber has become a popular figure in the community for wandering around in a Spider-Man costume. He originally bought the costume a few years ago for Halloween and for his nephew’s birthday but since he was part of the Vernon Winter Carnival parade this year, his popularity has been growing.
He started going through the drive-thru, walking through the mall and sitting in Polson Park as Spider-Man.
“I thought wow, this is actually a lot of fun. It doesn’t matter what people’s ages are, whether they’re two to 82, everybody kind of knows who Spider-Man is,” Weber said.
Weber started attending children’s birthdays and doing paid events, based on popular demand.
“I had tons of people calling me over to get pictures,” he said, when he was part of the winter event. “It is nice to be able to make some money doing it but nice to show up at a playground and see the look on everyone’s face, or the dog park, or the mall.”
Spider-Man was also seen wandering around the community during COVID-19, as Weber saw it as a way to cheer people up.
The multi-verse narrative shown in the Marvel movies also lends well to his explanation to kids why Spider-Man is in Vernon, he said.
“I would have never dreamed or thought of getting paid to dress as Spider-Man to make people happy,” he said. As a single father, the extra side income is nice and he hopes to donate part of the money he makes to charity, he said.
Weber is also a big Spider-Man fan.
Connect with the Okanagan Spider-Man through Facebook and Instagram.
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